Method of cooling comminuted solid material



March 1 1927.

J. o. JENSEN METHOD OF COOLING COMMINUTED SOLID-MATERIAL Filed June a. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,619,577 March 1927' J. o. JENSEN METHOD OF COOLING GOMMINUTFID SOLID MATERIAL Filed June a, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet rehe t .5192; a

STATES OFFICE.

, mus o. ,mnsn'n, or summons, MARYLAND.

METHOD OF COOLING 'COMHINUTED SOLID MATERIAL.

Application filed June 8,

Comminuted clay, or as more particularly of oils. The material is used in comparatively a rather coarse state, fines,

being discarded. After such use and to pro pare theclay again for filtering, it is commonly heated for revivification in kilns to temperatures of 600 Fahr. or over. Before reemployment it is desirable to cool the heated clay dowri to between 100 and 110 Fahr. .This has hitherto been done chiefly in three ways: By exposure to the air while held in suitable containing vessels; by similar exposure whilelcaused to descend a series of shelves or steps, and by placing the clay in long rotatin inclined cylinders cooled by water externa ly applied. All of these operations present economical difli culties, simple ex osure tOritil' requiring an cause too much comminution; produce too much dust. Dustlike fullers earth is a waste m terial. The present invention is a metho of cooling in which these difficulties are overcome, and the cost of handling and time r uired to cool the clay are materially reduce while production of dust is minimized. I f 7 In the accompanying -drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of my clay-cooling apparatus. Fig. 2 shows in enlarged section the cla receptacle, the 'up-flow conduit and the airlast nozzle disposed in the lower end of said conduit. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, showing the upper cla receptacle and the upper end of the upow conduit entering said receptacle through the inclined portion of the bottom thereof. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4, 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a partial view of the under side of the bottom of said receptacle, showing the placeof attachment of the down-flow conduit leading from said receptacle.

Similar numbers of reference indicate like parts.

The hot clay as it comes from the kiln is placed in the receptacle 1, into which enters the lower end of the vertical up-fiow conduit 2. Also entering said receptacle is apipe 3 leading to any suitable source of air under ressure and having at its end the vnozzle 5 w ich is disposed vertically within conduit 2. The diameter of the nozzle is much less than the diameter of the conduit, so that a clearance exists between the nozzle the conduit wall, through which clear-- the top of the chamber.

conduit 2 is preferably flared, as shown in 7 Serial No. 478,091.

ance the air blast from the nozzle draws the" external cool atmosphere into the conduit.

The particles of clay are entrained by the air jet from nozzle 5, and are so carried upward in aerial suspension tl'irough the con- .,d11it 2 which at its upper end passes through the inclined portion 6 of the bottom of receptacle 7 which forms a quieting chamber of greater crosssection than 2 and in which the forward upward movement of the particles is arrested and converted into a downward falling movement. The air escapes at Fig. 3. Irrthe upper portion of 7 is a bafiie or inverted pyramidal deflector 8 which is supported by four brace-rods 9 secured to the deflector walls. By said deflector the earth and airare directed downward upon inordinatetlme w ile the other two methods the inclined portion 6 of the receptacle bottom, and slide by gravity thereon to the flat and lower portion 1.0 of said bottom which communicates with the down-flow conduit 11. The upper edgesof the deflector are 9 preferably curved over as shown at 12. The described contour of the deflector reduces friction and formation of dust.

The clay particles then move down conduit 11 by gravity to a receptacle 13, similar 35 to receptacle 1, from whichthey are elevated y an air jet, as before, through a second up flow pipe 14 to receptacle 15, constructed similarly to receptacle 7, whence they pass finally by gravity through down-flow con- 0 been built y me' and is now, in successful practical operation. With an air pressure of forty pounds per square inch, I make the up-fiow conduits of about forty-five feet lift. The diameter of the air nozzle 5 is fiveeighths of an inch. The conduits are of or steel and six inches in diameter. The upper receptacles 7 and 1 5 are each ten feet in height by five feet in diameter. The deflectpr p ramid 8 is thirty inches in diameter an Where the clay enters from the kiln at about 500 Fahn, its temperature on leaving upper receptacle 7 is about 200 Fahn, and on leaving receptacle 15, about Fahr.

The upper end of iron 0 four feet from apex to base. 105

Quick cooling of the clay is effected by drawn in by the p air jet through clearance around the nozzle.

It is important that the longitudinal central axes of the nozzle and the deflector pyramid 8 should be placed to coincide with the longitudinal central axis of the up-fiow conduit; for if the jet be inclined at an angle, so that the clay particles driven by the powerful air current impact strongly upon or strike directly against the inner surface of the up-flow conduit, they will act like a sand blast to ahrade the conduit wall and are themselves reduced to dust.

l Vhen the particles enter the enlarged space in receptacle 7 their velocity is, of coursc, dccreased, so that if they strike the deflector 8 their remaining momentum is destroyed by the impact and they fall by gravity first upon the inclined portion 6 of the bottom of the receptacle 7 and then through the conduit 11. ,As the impelling force is then small, any abrasion of said conduit 11 is negligible. The inclination of conduit 11 should be no more than enough to determine the descent of the clay therein by gravity.

Besides cooling the clay it is desirableto remove such part of it as may have become too finely pulverized for filtering purposes, or, in other words, the dust. This I accomplish by providing outlet ducts 18 in receptacles? and 15, which ducts are disposed above the deflectors. \Vhile the particles of suitable size for filtering are, as already described, thrown. back by the deflector, the light dust is carried onward by the air blast, passing through the clearances 19 between the deflector and the receptacle walls, and

"so to the outlet.

In Fig. l, I have shown the apparatus in stalled in buildings, indicated by dotted lines, with the upper receptacles supported by posts 20 above the roofs, but any. other supporting means can, 'of course, be chosen.

As compared with the cooling means al ready noted as in the prior art, I find by practical experience with them and by actual tests under practical working conditions,

that my present invention offers the follow ing advantages.

\Vhcre the clay is exposed to the atmosphere in containers, each container weighs some three hundred pounds when full. To fill them and transport them requires a great deal of hand labor. They occupy much floor space. To cool the clay in them from 500 -Fahr. to between 100 to 105 Fahr. requires about one week, during which time all of the clay is deadthat is, out of use.

\Vhere the clay is caused to descend steps or shelves while exposed to the atmosphere, requires elevating apparatus to carry the material to the highest shelf, its descent by gravity is slow, and the use of fans to project air currents upon the descending thin flow between the steps tends to scatter the particles. The cooling time under these conditions is about twenty-four hours.

The rotary cooling cylinders employed are about sixty feet in length by five feet in diameter, and are set inclined so that the clay introduced at the upper end descends by gravity to the outlet. They weigh from six to eight tons, and their speed of rotation must be narrowly determined, for if they rotate too fast the cooling is not effectively done. A further and ver serious trouble arises from the fact that the application of cold water to the exterior of the cylinder causes an internalsweating and the consequent production of moisture which, mingling with the clay, prevents its absorbing the oil during the filtering o eration, for.v

which dry clay is necessary. T e same difficulty occurs with the clay When exposed in containers, if it is attempted to cool these by external refrigerants.

In the practice of my invention, no handling of the clay is required after it is placed in the first receptacle. from which it is entrained by the air jet. No sweating can occur in any receptacle or conduit. No attendance is required for lubrication, which is an important matter when the ponderous rotating cylinders are used. The apparatus can be installed in any convenient place to which the compressed air for the nozzle can be conducted. And, finally, the actual period of preparing the clay for filtering purposes, beginning with its placing in the heating kiln and ending with its being cooled and ready for use, need not exceed one hour.

I claim:

In the treatment of pulverulent filtering material for the purpose of reducing its temperature, the process which comprises distributing said pulverulent material in and exposing it to the cooling effect of an upwardly ascending air blast, settling the material and separating the air therefrom, and again distributing it and exposing it to the cooling effect of an upwardly. ascending air blast with another settling and separation, to lower the temperature of the material stage-wise.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JENS o. JENSEN. 

